“You c-c-can’t threaten me,” she rasps. “That’s illegal.”
Spike laughs. “Look at me, do you think I fuckin’ care?”
She blinks a few times at him, before turning and rushing down the driveway.
“I meant what I said,” Spike yells after her. “Don’t come back.”
She gets in her car and speeds off, tires squealing on the wet road. Spike turns to me and his eyes go to my cheek. “You good?”
I nod. “I need to see Reign.”
“You’re angry, Tia,” Muff says. “Probably not a good idea.”
“I. Need. To. See. Him,” I grind out.
“Don’t bother arguing with her,” Cade says. “It won’t stop her.”
“Fine,” Spike mutters. “But you’re goin’ to the hospital first. Then we’ll go over and show him what we got.”
“What we got?” I ask, confused.
Spike reaches into his pocket and pulls out his iPhone, pressing a button. I hear the conversation with Selena and him playing back, even the moment she admits to her lies and the abortion. I have everything I want in that recording, yet hearing it only makes my heart ache.
“No,” I say, hanging my head.
“Babe, we have the fuckin’ evidence,” he says, shaking his head in confusion.
“Yeah, we do,” I whisper. “But you have to understand that I can’t let him come back to me just because of that. I don’t need him being with me out of pity. He needs to make this choice, Spike. He needs to do it without that evidence. If he chooses not to believe me and to believe her, then I’d rather he stays there. I’m not going to force his choice.”
“Shit, Tia,” Cade mutters. “You’re too good.”
“I just need this to be real? Can you understand that?”
I give them all a pleading look. With a sigh, Spike nods and the others follow. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
I nod weakly and follow them out.
I hope I’ve made the right choice.
~*~*~*~
REIGN
I pace the office, my fists tight and my heart feeling like someone has ripped it out and crushed it. Pregnant. She’s pregnant. The very thought has my head spinning. I don’t know how I feel about it, fuck, I don’t know how I feel about anything. I’m in a fucked up place, and the entire situation is causing a world of fuckin’ hurt for everyone.
“Reign?”
I hear Selena’s soft voice and turn to see her standing at the door, giving me a gentle expression.
“It ain’t a good time,” I mutter.
She walks in, closing the door behind her. “I heard what happened, I was in the office next door when Tiani got sick.”
Fucking perfect.
“Then you’ll know it ain’t a fuckin’ good time.”
Her eyes grow soft and I want so fucking much to believe it’s genuine, but the seed of doubt has been planted now. She walks over, placing a hand on my arm. “I know how this must feel for you, after everything you’ve been through. I’m so sorry, Reign.”
I nod stiffly. “Thanks.”
“After we lost our baby, I saw how you suffered. Now this is being put in front of you and I have no doubt you’re confused. You have every right to be. If you need to talk, I’m here for you. I’ll help you through this. Tiani, too.”
I lift my head and stare at her. “Thanks,” I say again.
“Listen, you need some fresh air. You look like you’re about to pass out. Come for a walk to the coffee shop down the road. We’ll talk about it, see what we can work out.”
I’m in a desperate place, and she’s right, I need to get out. She’s not exactly the person I want to be with right now, because I can’t get Tia out of my head. I can’t stop seeing her hurt expression when I sent her home. But I need a break and I know I can’t get rid of Selena easily. Not to mention, I need to talk to her about this for a final time.
I know a choice has to be made.
~*~*~*~
REIGN
“How are you feeling about everything?” Selena asks, sipping her coffee.
I stare down at mine, knowing it’s going cold.
“How the hell do you think I’m feelin’, this wasn’t meant to happen.”
“Do you think she did it on purpose?”
I snap my head up. “No.”
“How can you be sure?”
I glare at her. “Because I know Tia.”
She stares sympathetically at me. “How is this going to affect us, Reign?”
“How can I answer that for you?” I snap. “I don’t even know how it’s going to affect me.”
She gives me a sad look. Shit.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
“I know we’ve been going backwards and forwards over this for weeks, but we can’t keep sitting on this fence. You need to make a choice Reign. I love you, but I can’t keep feeling like this.”
I sigh, because I know she’s fuckin’ right. I have to make a damned choice. I lift my head and say in a clipped tone, “Why did you do it?”
She looks confused.
“Why did you fuck him?”
Her cheeks grow flushed. “We were in a bad place and I was lonely and depressed.”
“So you felt it was okay to fuck another man?”
“No, Reign,” she cries. “I told you it was a mistake. One I am living with every damned day.”